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Mt Etna on Sicily, locally called "Mongibello", is Europe's largest and most active volcano. Its frequent eruptions are often accompanied by large lava flows, but rarely pose danger to inhabited areas. Etna is one of the volcanoes with the longest historic records of eruptions, going back more than 2000 years.

Typical eruption style:Effusive (lava flows) and mildly explosive (strombolian) eruptions. Both summit and frequent flank eruptions, the latter seem to be occurring in clusters lasting few to a few tens of years.Last earthquakes nearby

Most recommended:
The best place to stay near Mt Etna is no doubt the Corsaro hotel, located a few 100 m from the cable car station at La Sapienza cable car station on Etna South: Hotel CorsaroBooking.com

Etna volcano activity updates: December 2013

Update Tue 31 Dec 12:47

Strombolian explosions at the New SE crater on the evening of 29 Dec (Photo: Emaunela / VolcanoDiscovery Italia)Tremor amplitude (

Tremor amplitude (ECPN station, INGV; note: linear scale)

Tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV; note: logarithmic scale)

The fireworks on Etna seem to be coming to an end, although there is currently no visibility due to bad weather. Tremor has gradually decreased after another long, but rather weak paroxysm at the New SE crater (photos).

Update Mon 30 Dec 10:56

Weak lava fountain at the New SE crater

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The 21st paroxysm at the New SE crater which started last evening is still going on although it has decreased a bit. Until now, the eruption has been rather weak with no sustained tall lava fountains as during most of the paroxysms. Instead, the New SE crater continues to produce loud, spectacular near-continuous strombolian-type jets (or low, pulsating fountains) and explosions of lava bubbles. The eruption so far:
Over the course of the night, it has effused 3 lava flows towards the Valle del Bove:

Paroxysm nr 21

Update Sun 29 Dec 23:58

Violent strombolian activity from Etna's NSEC

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The 21st paroxysm at the New SE crater is in progress, but has still to reach its climax. At the moment, violent continuous strombolian explosions or low pulsating lava fountains occur at the summit vent and a lava flow has started to issue from the fissure vent on the SE flank of the cone.

New SE crater paroxysm in the making

Update Sun 29 Dec 17:10

Strombolian activity at the NSEC

It seems more and more likely that the next (nr 21 in 2013) New SE crater paroxysm is going to occur in the following hours or so; the tremor continues to climb rapidly and small strombolian explosions are now visible from the summit vent of the NSEC.
If you're not in Catania or near Etna, you can follow the activity live at webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/Etna.

Update Sun 29 Dec 16:18

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

It seems that the New SE crater might be heading for a new paroxysm soon. Although there is still little visible activity for now, the tremor amplitude has been climbing steeply over the past hours.

New SE crater wakes up

Update Sun 29 Dec 13:46

Ash explosion from Etna's NSEC this morning (Etna Trekking webcam)

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Weak glow at the NSEC earlier this morning (Etnaweb webcam)

This morning at 11:16 (local time), an ash explosion occurred from the New SE crater, accompanied by a rise in tremor. This is similar to the precursory activity of the recent past paroxysms and probably means that the magma column inside the cone's conduit has started to rise and began to clear its way by sporadic, but potentially quite powerful explosions.
Analysis of webcam images also show that weak incandescence appeared at the NSEC during the second half of the night, confirming that the crater is in the process of reactivation.
The next hours or days are likely to be interesting at Europe's most active volcano.

[Unless something major happens, the last update before the holidays: Merry Christmas to all!]
Ash emissions from the NE crater (as well as possibly Bocca Nuova) and tremor have decreased. Will Etna give us a peaceful calm Xmas ? You can check the livecams...

Update Mon 23 Dec 10:04

No significant changes have occurred. Ash emissions, sometimes relatively strong, continued from the NE crater and the tremor shows a very slow gradual rising trend.

Update Sun 22 Dec 15:00

Ash emission from Etna's NE crater

Current tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

A slight increase in ash emissions from the NE crater and tremor is visible during the past hours. This might be a precursor to more vigorous activity in the near future.

Update Sun 22 Dec 11:24

Ash plume from Etna's NEcrater this morning

No significant changes occurred during the past days. The North-East crater continues to emit ash, while the other summit craters including the New SE crater are fairly calm. Tremor is low.

The ash emissions from the NE crater have increased and become near continuous. A likely cause are deep-seated explosions from a degassing active magma column. Tremor has remained low, but with a slight increase.

Weak ash emissions from North-east crater

Update Thu 19 Dec 11:18

Ash venting from the NE crater (Pizzo Deneri Etna Trekking webcam)

While our protagonist, the New SE crater, is calm, the NE crater produces weak ash emissions.

Update Tue 17 Dec 20:56

Lava effusion from the new effusive vent at the lower NE flank of Etna's NSEC (photo from last evening: Emanuela / VolcanoDiscovery Italia)

Weak lava effusion continues from the fissure on the lower NE flank of the New SE crater. Explosive activity seems to have ceased and tremor has descended back to low levels.

Update Tue 17 Dec 10:06

Thermal image of the New SE crater (INGV Catania)

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

Current tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

It seems that the latest, highly unusual paroxysm can be regarded as over. Lava effusion ceased (or almost completely ceased) over night and tremor has continued to drop to again low levels.

Update Mon 16 Dec 18:32

Current view of Etna

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

The activity has dropped although a small new fissure has now opened on the lower NE side of the cone, producing a small lava flow visible in the picture; whether it is the near end of the current episode or only a pause is difficult to say.

Update Mon 16 Dec 15:08

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

What started as a paroxysm has now become more a dominantly effusive subterminal fissure eruption. Lava effusion continues from the vent at the SE base of the New SE crater, accompanied by strong, fluctuating tremor. Bad weather conditions mostly prevent good views.
We post a new time-lapse video of Etna volcano's New SE crater during the early hours of 15 Dec (Radiostudio7 webcam from Montagnola), showing the opening of the eruptive fissure: before 06:00, the summit (and to its left, the western vent in the saddle) are active with violent strombolian explosions and magma bubbles, and a small lava flow effuses from the summit vent to the SE as a result of overflow. At 06:10, a strong explosion occurs and a fissure opens below the summit vent at on the SE side, producing a new flood of lava in the same path as the previous flow (the fracture on the SE side). This fissure vent propagated further down towards the base of the cone and has continued to produce lava flows until now:

Airport closed

Update Mon 16 Dec 10:51

The airspace in southeastern Sicily around Etna has been partially closed and many arrivals and departures to and from Catania airport have been cancelled since yesterday evening.

The eruption still goes on strongly with loud explosions at the summit vent of the New SE crater and spattering abundant lava effusion from the fissure vent at the SE base of the New SE crater. Lava flows with multiple branches descend into Valle del Bove. Tremor is still high. Photo credit: Turi Caggegi / Twitter.

Update Mon 16 Dec 09:59

These time-lapse video show the lava flows into Valle del Bove (Etna Trekking webcam from Schiena dell'Asino) and the explosive activity at the summit vent (and occasionally at the western saddle vent), and the strong lava effusion from the flank vent at the SE base over the past 24 hours (INGV Montagnola webcam thermal image).

Update Mon 16 Dec 02:43

Lava fountain from the New SE crater

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Activity (and tremor) is increasing again; at the summit vent of the New SE crater, taller lava fountains seem to develop, something that has so far not occurred during the current eruption.

Update Mon 16 Dec 00:55

Lava flow from Etna (Etnaweb webcam)

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Lava effusion continues. The active lava flow into the Valle del Bove beautifully illuminates the south-eastern sector of Etna. Although it decreased, the tremor goes up and down, remaining high.

Decreasing tremor, eruption plume drifting 500 km to the east

Update Sun 15 Dec 23:15

Weak ash emission from the NE crater (right) this morning

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

SO2 plume from Etna (Image: SACS, via Blog Culture Volcan)

Tremor has started to decrease, which might be a sign that the peak of the eruption is over, although it could regain again as it has done before. Webcam views are obscured by clouds at the moment.
This is certainly one of the most unusual paroxysms of Etna during the past years: activity has been dominantly effusive and the North-East crater has been active as well, producing weak ash emissions (this comes perhaps not so much as a surprise when taking into account the precursory episode at this crater the day before, 13 Dec).
Satellite data show that the plume of the eruption (mainly SO2 and only small amounts of ash) has drifted by now about 500 km to the east.
Recommended reading: Culture Volcan has posted a beautiful summary of the eruption so far.

Update Sun 15 Dec 22:18

Thermal image of the New SE crater (INGV Catania)

Lava flows into the Valle del Bove (Etna Trekking webcam)

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

"One of Etna's loudest and least visible paroxysms is still continuing rather intensely", twittered Dr. Boris Behncke from INGV Catania about the ongoing eruption. Lava effusion and strombolian activity continued all day and increased drastically during the evening. Weather conditions don't allow very good views, but it appears that the New SE crater is producing pulsating (low) fountains and feeds abundant lava flows headed towards the Valle del Bove from the vent in its SE fissure. The tremor signal is still increasing, suggesting that the peak of the paroxysm is still to come.

Second paroxysm?

Update Sun 15 Dec 16:56

Strombolian explosion at the NSEC in the evening

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Strombolian explosion at the summit vent and ongoing lava emission from the SE fissure

It seems that Etna is going to have a second paroxysm tonight (if one doesn't count the whole ongoing eruptive phase as one). After dropping in the early morning, tremor and strombolian activity at the New SE crater have continued to rise in the afternoon.

Update Sun 15 Dec 11:11

Strombolian eruption at New SE crater

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Strombolian explosions continue and tremor has picked up again. Perhaps, the paroxysm is still continuing?

Etna's 20th paroxysm at the New SE crater

Update Sun 15 Dec 07:42

Ash emission and the active lava flow in the early morning of 15 Dec (Etna-Trekking webcam)

The 20th paroxysm at the New SE crater ended at dawn, shortly after reaching its peak. The eruption seems to have been relatively weak (compared to previous paroxysms) and produced only relatively low pulsating lava fountains with associated ash plumes and a small lava flow to the SE towards the Valle del Bove. Tremor has dropped sharply, but at the moment of updating, strombolian explosions, ash emission and the effusion of the lava flow continue at reduced level.
The following time-lapse video, seen as time-lapse from the Radiostudio7 webcam on Montagnola (from S), shows the slow build-up during the day with sporadic explosions, and the pulsating fountaining at night:

In this video (from Radiostudio7's Montagnola webcam south of the summit area), the lava flow on the SE side of the cone can be seen:

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

Current tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The associated tremor amplitude signals:

Update Sat 14 Dec 23:15

Pulsating lava fountains from two vents at the New SE crater

The lava flow on the SE side of the cone

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The paroxysm at the New SE crater is reaching the stage of pulsating lava fountains. A lava flow (probably mainly fed by rapid accumulation of liquid spatter) started to descend on the SE flank of the cone a short time ago.

Update Sat 14 Dec 21:07

Explosions from both the saddle and the summit vent of the New SE crater

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The eruption is still increasing, bright strombolian explosions have become continuous and the saddle vent between the old and the New SE crater (usually effusing a lava flow) is active now as well.

Update Sat 14 Dec 17:28

Strombolian activity at the New SE crater

Strombolian explosions are becoming stronger and impressive, even on the webcam images now.

Update Sat 14 Dec 16:46

Explosion at NSEC earlier this afternoon

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The 20th paroxysm at the New SE crater in 2013 is almost certainly) going to occur this evening (again, Saturday). Tremor continues to rise steeply, and explosions at the NSEC are very gradually becoming stronger.
You can follow the activity live at webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/Etna.

New paroxysm at New SE crater ?

Update Sat 14 Dec 10:28

First explosion at Etna's New SE crater this morning

Strombolian explosion at the NSEC

Current tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

After yesterday's deep-seated activity in the NE crater, explosions have started at the New SE crater this morning at 09:25 (local time), when a relatively powerful explosion occurred. The explosion was near the surface and tremor started to rise steeply in correspondence. Although it has now dropped again a bit, it seems likely that the 20th paroxysm at the NSEC is about to occur.

Update Fri 13 Dec 16:41

View of Etna from Paternó (SW side) with the plume from the NE crater

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

While the New SE crater has remained quiet, the NE crater became active earlier today and continues to produce a dense gas plume containing fine ash, likely from deep-seated explosions. The tremor has dropped a bit again, but remains elevated.

Activity at NE crater

Update Fri 13 Dec 09:18

Degassing plume at NE crater

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

Tremor continues to rise. Different from previous times when rising tremor accompanied eruptive phases at the New SE crater, the activity is now at the North-East crater, which produces a strong degassing plume perhaps mixed with some ash. Most likely, deep-seated explosions within the crater are occurring (and increasing).

Rising tremor

Update Fri 13 Dec 07:18

View of the New SE crater from Schiena dell'Asino this morning

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Current tremor amplitude (ECPNZ station, INGV Catania)

Tremor has started to increase this morning, although so far, no visible activity at the New SE crater has appeared while strong degassing from the NE crater continues. The next hours will probably show whether the volcano is going to prepare its next paroxysm in the near future or not.

Update Thu 12 Dec 09:44

The New SE crater today

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The situation has remained more or less unchanged. Etna has been quiet except intense degassing from the NE crater and a faint plume from the NSEC. There are currently no signs of the expected next paroxysm at the New SE crater and tremor has decreased overall during the past days (of course, this can change quickly).

Update Tue 10 Dec 16:36

Etna's NSEC this evening

The New SE crater has remained calm; after the increase yesterday, tremor has descended back to low levels and continues to fluctuate.

Update Tue 10 Dec 07:13

Etna's NSEC this morning (Radiostudio7 Montagnola webcam)

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Degassing from the NE crater (view from OPEC)

The New SE crater has remained quiet over night, while tremor has risen a bit overall. The NE crater in turn shows intense degassing.

Update Mon 09 Dec 16:21

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

A temporary steep increase in tremor amplitude earlier today (but with no other visual changes) rose some expectations about a new paroxysm, which would be now "due" if Etna kept her rhythm of 5-7 days intervals. However, it turned out to be only a short-lived peak, and it seems we have to wait a bit more. No explosive activity could be identified at the New SE crater.

Update Sat 07 Dec 17:56

Beautiful webcam view of Etna in the evening light, the New SE crater in the upper right (Radiostudio7 Montagnola)

Etna seems not to be heading towards another of its "Saturday evening shows" today. The New SE crater has remained quiet and tremor is low at more or less unchanged levels.

Update Fri 06 Dec 10:49

Etna this morning with the 2 Dec lava flow against the white snow (Etna Trekking webcam)

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

No significant news from Etna so far. The brilliant weather shows the fiery lady in all her glory today. The latest lava flow towards Valle del Bove from Monday's paroxysm stands out as a dark black tongue against the white snow. Volcanic tremor has increased a bit, showing that the NSEC remains (mostly internally) agitated.

Update Thu 05 Dec 11:50

The New SE crater remains restless. As the following time-lapse video of the past 24 hours shows, there is occasional weak lava extrusion from effusive vents on the upper flanks, and rarely glow from the summit vent suggesting that the magma column is relatively still high inside the vent and sometimes produces deep-seated strombolian explosions.

Update Tue 03 Dec 09:28

Turi Caggegi succeeded in capturing yesterday's lava fountains, several hundreds of meters high and from several vents spraying in different directions, on video:

Update Tue 03 Dec 00:25

INGV webcam image of Etna's New SE crater during the main phase of the eruption

Current seismic signal (ESVO station, INGV Catania)

The eruption is already ending with an abrupt drop of volcanic tremor and decreasing lava emission. Judging from the few webcam images with at least some visibility, it appears that the activity was more effusive (lava flows) than explosive (lava fountains) with the main phase being around 23:20 local time.

Update Mon 02 Dec 23:37

Lava flow from the New SE crater

The 19th paroxysm at the New SE crater is in full progress. A voluminous lava flow can now be seen descending on the eastern flank into the upper Valle del Bove.

New SE crater paroxysm (nr 19)

Update Mon 02 Dec 22:33

Current tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

Thermal image of the New SE crater earlier this evening (INGV Catania)

A new paroxysm is under way at the New SE crater. Tremor has started to rise steeply, as typical for these eruptions. Visibility is not very good, but occasional view confirmed intense strombolian activity / lava fountaining.

Update Sun 01 Dec 10:09

Current tremor amplitude (ESLN station, INGV Catania)

The amplitude of tremor rose over night to levels that in the past weeks normally corresponded to intermittent strombolian activity at the New SE crater. However, bad visibility prevents direct observations.

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